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Ten eco-friendly products that will change your life

Scientists tell us Earth is fast approaching a ‘tipping point’ beyond which climate change will be out of control. And yet we are still abusing the planet’s resources, spewing carbon into the atmosphere, following destructive farming practises and poisoning our water. But with some careful changes in how we act, and especially what we choose to buy, we can work together towards halting this downward spiral.

Friends Of The Earth recommends that everyone follows ‘Plastic-Free Fridays’ where we see if we can live without plastics for at least one day a week, while Greenpeace urge us to use environmentally-friendly or plastic-free cleaning products, or even make our own, using things such as Bicarbonate of Soda, Lemon Juice, boiled water and Essential Oils.

There’s an increasing number of companies and manufacturers who are sitting up and taking notice of the climate emergency, making products which help, not hinder, the progress we can make towards a greener, safer, healthier planet. Here are ten ways you can spend wisely, in ways that will make you part of the solution, not part of the problem!

How to snack better (and feel fuller for longer)

Snacking in response to hunger isn’t a bad thing – it shows we’re listening to our bodies and taking on food when it’s needed. After all, the human species evolved in places where fruit trees and other edible plants offered food throughout the day, so snacking is not only completely natural, but hardwired into us.

However, we certainly didn’t evolve with pound shops everywhere offering cheap, plentiful junk heavy on refined fats, processed sugars and empty calories but low on any real nutrition. As a result of our disordered relationship without food in the 21st Century, 3 in 10 adults in the UK is now obese (it’s 4 in 10 in the USA).

So how can we snack in a way that ‘fills the gap’ but is more advantageous to our health? What are healthy snacks? Happily, there are plenty of ways to snack which are guilt-free, nutritious and incredibly delicious, and will keep your tummy totally satisfied! Here are some of our very favourite tried-and-tested healthy snack ideas to fill you up….

Why Freeze-Dried products are amazing

Freeze-drying is a brilliant way of retaining the shape, flavour and nutrients of fresh fruit, vegetables and other food while massively prolonging the shelf life. Bacteria thrives when there’s moisture, so with the liquid removed, you can keep these products almost indefinitely.

But what is ‘freeze-dried’? Some people think the freeze-drying process is hugely complicated and involves a shedload of nasty chemicals, but this couldn’t be further from the truth! It’s completely natural, and involves freezing something inside a vacuum chamber, which reduces the air pressure hugely. When heat is let back in, the ice trapped in the products converts directly into water vapour and is siphoned off, leaving the freeze-dried goods significantly lighter in weight but looking pretty much the same.

So are there any health benefits of freeze-dried goods? The answer is a very pleasing yes! They’re almost indistinguishable from the benefits of the fresh versions. Way more nutrition is retained compared to conventional drying, which can degrade the vitamin and phenolic content of fruit and vegetables.

So let’s have a look at all the wonderful possibilities freeze-drying offers….

Ten of the best picnic recipes

Everyone loves a picnic! It gives us a chance to meet and spend time with loved ones, enjoy the outdoors and (hopefully) soak up some sunlight. But all the beneficial effects of these things are reduced if we then stuff ourselves with high-calorie, low-nutrition foods full of processed carbohydrates, bad fats and refined sugars. Healthy picnic food needn’t mean boring picnic food!

When thinking about what to take on a picnic, try to choose natural, whole food-based recipes which will mean energy is released slowly, so you don’t get a short-lived burst of energy followed by a crash in blood sugar and a slump.

We have hundreds of fantastic ideas in our Recipes section, and here are ten of our tried-and-tested favourites for taking on a picnic…

Wheatgrass – 8 reasons why you should include it as part of your diet

Wheatgrass is usually the number one go-to superfood for anyone setting out on a detox regime. It’s increasingly offered as a health tonic in juice bars, and you can buy it in powdered form too, either on its own or as part of a healthy blend.

The deep green colour of wheatgrass comes from the chlorophyll, a plant pigment which is made as a result of plants absorbing energy from the light of the sun. It supports the liver in removing toxins from the blood, and offers a wealth of other fantastic benefits for the human body, some of which we’ve outlined for you below…

Our top ten dips – and the best things to dip into them

Dips are the perfect food to share with friends – if someone drops by unexpectedly it’s always a good idea to have a jar of something tasty on standby in your kitchen cupboard to serve with a bowl of good-quality crackers or with a few slices of tasty, wholesome bread to dip into it. And it takes no time at all to throw a few well-chosen ingredients into your food processor and whip up a delightful treat in which to dip some crudités or some crunchy breadsticks.

Dips are also grand for a picnic, and most of these dips are extremely versatile and equally at home in a sandwich, or even added to a soufflé or quiche recipe!

Don’t forget that you can liven up nearly every dip with a good slosh of Extra Virgin Olive Oil and/or a sprinkling of spice such as Sumac or Za’atar, or some of our wonderful Freeze Dried Red Paprika Powder.

Ten ways you can lead a more eco-friendly life

Planet Earth is in crisis. Sea levels are rising as polar glaciers and ice sheets melt, while devastating floods are affecting more and more areas and extreme weather events increase in ferocity and regularity. We need to act quickly to prevent large parts of Earth becoming uninhabitable because of climate change.

One way we can make a change is by rejecting ‘fast fashion’ and buying only second-hand or sustainable clothing. It takes about 2,700 litres of water to make just one t-shirt , which is enough water for one person to drink for 900 days. Hermione Berendt of Extinction Rebellion says “Black, indigenous and people of colour living in the global south are already the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, which are fuelled partly by fast fashion.”

We know many of the things we need to do to ensure the planet remains habitable for our species: fly less, drive less, plant trees and leave fossil fuels behind; insulate our homes and reduce energy usage; save water; aim for a zero waste existence. Here are some of our top tips for living in harmony with our planet…

What is Earth Day and why is it important?

The United Nations has stated that climate change is the defining crisis of our time and is happening even more quickly than was feared. Dire warnings are everywhere about the future (or lack of it) that awaits us if we don’t change our planet-wrecking ways soon. This Guardian article published in 2020 scared a lot of people with its horrifying look at a world in 2050 where climate warnings have not been heeded and time is up for the human race. Luckily there was a sister article describing the planet’s progress if we manage to tackle climate change and live in a more environmentally-friendly way.

No corner of the planet is immune from the devastating consequences of climate change – rising temperatures are fuelling environmental degradation, weather extremes, natural disasters, economic disruption, food and water insecurity, conflict and terrorism. But if we act quickly and cleverly, we can reverse these trends and work together towards a better future. So here’s what you need to know about Earth Day…

Sussex Wholefoods – an introduction to our range

Sussex Wholefoods is Healthy Supplies’ in-house line of natural, healthy, high-quality whole foods, packed in Sussex. We’re well-known for having one of the finest ranges of freeze-dried fruit anywhere in the world.

Sussex Wholefoods was born in 2009 after we became dissatisfied with the range of healthy food commonly sold in the UK, knowing there were a lot more fantastic-tasting, health-giving ingredients out there which weren’t on the shelves of our local supermarkets. We’re very discerning about what we sell under the banner of Sussex Wholefoods, and actually reject more products than we take on. Where possible, we like to offer organic versions, and have a no-nonsense approach where we keep an eye on medical research and try to reject any ‘faddy’ products for which there is no real evidence of health benefits.

It’s also very important to us to remember to choose products that are fun to eat. We believe healthy eating shouldn’t be a sacrifice – if you enjoy the food you eat, it’s much more likely you’ll continue to eat it!

Finally, we love our snacks! We feel that if you’re going to treat yourself to something special, it should be as minimally-processed as possible – that’s why our delectable range of snacks and treats is made where possible from natural and unrefined ingredients.

So come and explore what’s on offer….

Ten Ways To Eat More Buckwheat

Buckwheat is a wheat substitute. It comes from a flowering plant that is distantly related to knotweed and rhubarb. Despite its name, Buckwheat is not related to wheat and is completely gluten-free. It does however taste and behave quite similarly to wheat.

Buckwheat is very beneficial to our health and is thought to help lower cholesterol, fight diabetes and aid digestion! All of these are great reasons to eat more Buckwheat, but just in case you needed more tempting have a look at our ten ways to use buckwheat…